‘Kuch Toh Log Kahenge..’: Captain Kohli Defends KL Rahul Ahead Of 1st ODI Against England

KL Rahul’s form has been a cause of concern for Indian fans, but Virat Kohli seems unmoved by the constant disappointment from the batsman.

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India vs England 1^st ODI: Virat Kohli quoted a 1972 Hindi movie song to describe the situation between KL Rahul and his critics who are complaining about his poor form in the recent past. KL Rahul scored only 15 runs in the four T20Is that he played against England in the recent series. Kohli was addressing a virtual press conference ahead of the first ODI between India and England. In the press conference, he also said how the team deals with the struggling players.

Virat Kohli was in full defense of his wicket-keeper batsman, KL Rahul. He said, “I can only think about one thing when people talk about a player is out of form. Kuch toh log kahenge logon ka kaam hain kehna (Loose translation- The people would say things, it’s just their job). There is a lot of impatience outside the cricket set up. People love listening to criticism and it has only increased.”

Here is the video of the press conference: 

[Fans can listen to Virat hum the Rajesh Khanna song at 11:20 in the video.]

The Indian captain has always been the one to back his players and knows the importance of having good mental health. He explained how the team management helps the players going through a rough patch. “In the team we know how to manage a player going through a tough patch. It is not as if you forget playing the game, it is just that you don't have the same mental clarity that you would usually have and then there is talk about you, which is another external factor you have to deal with.

We will continue to back our players and keep them in good mental space,” Kohli said.

Kohli in the press conference also announced that Dhawan and Rohit will open the innings for India in the first ODI. So, it is difficult to accommodate KL Rahul in the playing eleven as Rishabh Pant is the first-choice wicket-keeper in the ODI squad.

After winning the Test and T20I series, team India would be set to take on the English in the three-match ODI series. All the ODI’s will be played in Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. The first ODI begins at 1:30 pm, IST.